Page 46 of The Brooding Duke's Fateful Letter
“You have done this before?” He asked her.
“Put out a fire? A few times.” She replied, wiping her brow with her sleeve.
“No, the barrels,” he clarified.
“I can not say that I have. I just know those flames are unlike anything I have ever seen before. So we shall have to fight them in a way that has never been seen before.” Charlotte said as she stopped for a moment to catch her breath.
“Well then, let us go test this experiment of yours.” He said, offering his hand to her. She took it, and they ran together toward the hill. Despite the gravity of the situation, when he looked at her, she could not help but smile at him.
Something inside her that had lain asleep for so long awakened. A part of herself she thought she had lost. She found a brief moment of whimsy running through the wildflowers as she had when she had been a young girl. Even if they were in a dangerous situation.
The servants had gotten two barrels up the hill and were ready to push the first one down the hill. Charlotte and Henry held on to the barrel as it lay on its side.
“We release and push with all our might on my go!” Henry shouted. He looked at Charlotte and then toward the stables. “Go! Push, push harder!” Henry shouted as they pushed the barrel to get it going. The barrel went hurtling toward the stables. Charlotte lifted her arms above her head in anticipation.
It lost momentum and stopped short of the barn.
“We go again. This time, I need you two to run with it and steer it,” he said to the two men next to him. They stood ready, and this time, when they let go of the barrel, the two men ran alongside it, both steering it and pushing at it when they could propel it faster down the hill.
This time, it shattered against the corner of the stables, splashing water everywhere. Charlotte and Henry erupted into cheers. They set the next barrel ready and continued in this fashion for nearly half an hour before the flames were truly under control.
Henry suddenly picked Charlotte up in his arms for an embrace. When they slowly moved away from one another, he looked into her eyes, shaking his head in disbelief. “You are quite extraordinary, Bethany,” he said. Charlotte felt as though a knifetwisted in her heart. He may be looking at her, but he thought she was someone she was not. It was not merely a name.
“Thank you.” That was all Charlotte could manage to say. The lies took every precious moment between them and twisted it.
They carried more barrels up the hill. They all landed true, smashing against the stables, splashing water in all directions. Soon, they were able to get close enough to put out the remaining flames. Charlotte stood as smoke bellowed from what was left of the stables.
“We shall only be able to see the true extent of the damage after the smoke has cleared,” Henry said.
“I am so sorry, Henry. The stables must have been in your family for some time,” Charlotte said with regret.
“My father and I built it when I was a small lad. It was the first time that he let me work with him. Before then, he had told me it was too dangerous.” His eyes looked at her but were far away. He seemed lost in memories.
“Please go on. I would like to hear about your father.” Charlotte said carefully, not wanting to cause him pain by bringing the past to the present.
“He was born into privilege, yet he yearned to see what life was like for everyone. He disliked being cooped up with servants, so he would sneak out and go into town. He did it for years. They only found out once he had met my mother and had wanted to marry her.” He finished with a look of sadness.
“What did they say when he found out about her?” Charlotte asked.
“My grandparents would not allow him to marry beneath his standing. They gave him a choice, thinking it would bring him to his senses. He walked away from it all and married my mother. He had claim to the land and built the house with his hands. I was about eight or nine when my father and I built these stables. At first, he did not want me to help, afraid that I would injure myself.” Henry said.
“You proved him wrong and did a fantastic job?” Charlotte offered when he fell silent.
“Well, not exactly.” He admitted with a sly grin. “I might have fallen from the roof after hitting my hand with the hammer,” he admitted and laughed at Charlotte’s look of disbelief. “He showed her his still crooked index finger. “My mother liked horses, though it was more than that. She had a way of working with them. She could get sick horses well and wild horses tamed. These stables had been a birthday surprise for her.” He looked away.
“Oh, Henry, I am so sorry this happened. Perhaps we could rebuild it from what is left?” Charlotte said with hope.
“We may be able to.” He said, with little enthusiasm. “I think it is best we go clean up and settle in for the night. We will be able to see the full extent of the damage in the morning.”
“I am rather tired after that and look at the state of me,” Charlotte bemoaned as she lifted her torn and tattered dress to show how dirty and damaged it had gotten.
“We will get you a new dress, My Lady,” Henry said with a smile. “I do not think you could look any better,” he said. She had noticed that although they had decided to use each other’s name, he now used hers as an endearment.
“Your grace, dresses I have. It is the stables that concern me.” Charlotte said as they started to walk back to the estate.
“Would you join me for tea?” He asked.
“That would be lovely, thank you,” Charlotte said as she noticed how thirsty and tired she was. They had seen the fire in the late afternoon, and it was well after sunset. She was glad for the lovely tea they had before they had arrived home. Charlotte followed Henry to his study and sat on the chair he offered.
